Game



Oct. 14, 1969 GLASS ET AL 3,472,260

GAME

Filed Aug. 8, 1967 mvsmorzs JMMLV 61.455 51/9704? /WEVE2 BY gm 9 ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,472,260 GAME Marvin I. Giass and Burton C. Meyer, Chicago, Iil., as-

signors to Marvin Glass Associates, Chicago, 111., a partnership Filed Aug. 8, 1967, Ser. No. 659,156 Int. Cl. A63f 3/00, 9/06 U.S. Cl. 273-161 1 Claim ABSTRACT UP THE DISCLOSURE A game apparatus for disclosing telepathic or magic messages in which a clipping pointer is rigidly fixed on a bar with pointed ends, the bar being adapted to be held only by finger pressure of the player or players over an indicia-carrying playing board. The pointer is weighted on one side of the bar so as to cause the bar to turn and the pointer to dip and point to particular indicia at random as the bar is moved over the board. Successive dips of the pointer will point to or spell out a message.

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Background of the invention The invention relates to a game in which telepathic or magic messages are spelled out on a playing board. Games of the Ouija board type have long been wellknown, but the present invention concerns itself with a game apparatus wherein a novcl pointer is rotatably suspended by finger pressure only above the playing board for a random selection of letters or other indicia on the playing board.

Summary of the invention Game apparatus comprising a three-dimensional playing board with markings and indica on the surface thereof, and a bar or rod with pointed ends adapted to be rotatably supported only by finger pressure of one or two players above the board, and a pointer rigidly mounted on the bar off center of the pointer so that the weight of one end of the pointer will tend to cause the bar to rotate between the supporting fingers. The pointer will thus at random point to or select certain markings or indicia on the board as the bar is moved over the board. Fortunes of the individual players may be told, and questions posed by the players may be answered, with resultant entertainment and amusement.

Brief description of the drawings Description of the preferred embodiment The game apparatus comprises a board 10, which is oblong in shape and of suflicient size to carry all the letters of the alphabet, the digits, and such messages as Yes, No, Love, Power, Wealth, Money, etc. as may be desired. Such indicia are printed or otherwise applied to the upper surface of the board 10, as is illustrated in FIGURES 1 and 2. Any desired markings may be used. A bar or rod 12 (see FIGURES 1 and 3) is provided. The bar has pointed ends 14 and 16 so that the bar is adapted to be supported by finger pressure only between the fingers of a player or of two players, as shown In FIGURE 1. The bar may be shaped or ornamented in any desired fashion. Intermediate the ends of bar 12 there s rlgidly fixed a pointer 18 in the form of a key which is eccentrically mounted on the bar, that is with its center of gravity spaced from the axis of bar 12. In the form shown in the drawing (FIGURES 1 and 3), the pointer is 1n the shape of a key. Any suitable other form of pointer may be used. The weighted end 19 of the key will tend to dip toward the playing board and cause the bar to rotate between the supporting fingers. While the off-center mounting is illustrated, the pointer may be otherwise securgd to the bar or weighted in any manner to cause it to 1p.

The board may be supported at each of its four corners by legs such as are illustrated in FIGURE 4. As shown, each leg comprises panels 20 and 22 which are vertically positioned and joined at right angles to form corner posts. A horizontal panel 2 1, triangular in shape, is positioned across the top of panels 20 and 22 to cover the corner section between these panels. Vertical panel 26 extends between panels 29 and 22 and is directly below the hypotenuse side of panel 24. A cut-out portion, designated at 28, in the upper section of panel 26 provides an opening through which a corner of board 10 may be placed. The panels 20, 22 and 26 thus provide corner legs or supports for the boards. These legs may be placed within a box or container such as is generally illustrated at 30 in FIGURE 1. Any other type of leg or support may be used with or fixed to board 10; or the board may be rested directly upon a table or other flat surface.

In playing the game any number of players may participate. The players may tell their respective fortunes or may pose questions which the game apparatus will answer. The game thus provides amusement and diversion which can be enjoyed by a single player or by a group. When a player has been selected whose fortune will be told, or when a question has been posed, the bar is held above the board, only by finger pressure, between the fingers of a single player or of two players. The pointer is held upwardly at the beginning and the bar is moved across the board. As the weighted end of the pointer causes the bar to rotate, the pointer will dip and point to an answer, or to a letter or digit, or a series of letters or digits to spell out an answer. Abbreviations may be resorted to, e.g., gd for good, IV for love, etc.

While the game apparatus has been described in connection with specific structure, it will be apparent that variations may be made without departing from the principles of this invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A game apparatus for disclosing telepathic messages comprising a playing board bearing markings and indicia from which messages and information can be formulated, a bar with pointed ends designed to be held above said board by finger pressure against said. ends, a pointer weighted at one end rigidly mounted on said bar adjacent the center thereof such that its center of gravity is spaced away from said bar thereby causing the pointer to dip toward the board when the bar is held by finger pressure above said board.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,031,135 7/1912 Mason 273--161 1,325,201 12/1919 Kliemant 273-161 2,886,323 5/1959 Irwin 46--43 X ANTON O. OECHSLE, Primary Examiner 

